DPA Virtual Contact Center is coming!

Many staff around the state have asked that we take a look at our telephone system and make changes to meet our business needs. We heard you!

During the past 8 months we’ve done a lot of preparation to implement a Virtual Contact Center (VCC). Here is some general information on this project as we get ready to launch it. During the next month and a half, more information will be shared. The VCC will be utilized only by the Field Services Offices due to the funding associated with this project.

What it is:
Virtual Contact Center (VCC) is a contact “center” in which the agents (Eligibility Technicians) are geographically dispersed. This is not equivalent to a traditionally hosted call center. Telephonic calls will be directed to one phone number (1-800#) and the calls will be answered in the order they are received unless they meet the priority criteria and will be handled accordingly.

Several Benefits of having a VCC system:
1. The VCC has Virtual Queuing which allows customers to receive a call back instead of waiting on hold in a queue to be answered
2. Call recording: audio recording of telephone conversation
3. Screen Pop: screen population displays information about a call on the agents screen
4. Real-time data (similar to PathOs data)
5. Reporting capabilities without manual tracking
6. Electronic Document Imaging/Management (Phase II)
7. Additional benefits will be provided later

Benefits to staff:
1. One and Done, by having ETs answer the VCC number, they will be able to address client issues immediately including ROC’s, interviews, questions and answers
2. Recorded messages will play during the initial and hold messages - offering the IVR line number and 211 for additional information
3. Because we will keep the local phone numbers for offices, over time, staff will notice a decrease in the number of phone calls coming directly into the offices
4. This system will provide staff the ability to easily track who they spoke with and when
5. Staff will notice a decrease in the amount of manual work with the screen population function
6. Managers can use the call recording function to train staff, to assist staff while they are still learning, and to assist staff who encounter difficult customers

Who gets it:
For Phase I of this project, we have 4 offices who will pilot this first before it is expanded to other offices. These offices are: Coastal Field, Fairbanks, Gambell and Wasilla. We have identified approximately 10 staff from each location to initially be assigned to this new telephone management tool (with some participating in user acceptance testing). The 40 staff will “man” the VCC until we implement phase II, where additional offices and staff will be added to the VCC. Please note: We will be having discussions in the future for how to rotate staff into and out of the VCC assignment. Lastly, the VCC will compliment PathOs because the bundling that occurs in PathOs will ensure we are responding to all of the needs of the customer during one contact.

When does it begin:
Phase I of this project is scheduled to be implemented at the end of August 2016. As we approach the beginning of August, more information will be forthcoming.

What’s next after that:
Phase II will consist of additional offices and staff being added, along with the implementation of the Electronic Document Imaging or Management capabilities. We anticipate this to occur in the fall of 2016.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Our intention is to provide information on this project every other week so you have an understanding of the project before it is implemented. Again, we are listening and acknowledge this project is a vital piece for us to succeed as a Division and we want to ensure you have enough information as we move forward.